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Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:55 pm
by badanimal
Haa.. I was only joking :))

G4's LED anyway. Araldite would do..




I think it's brilliant.. :-bd I can just imagine them lighting a bike up..


and fetching good money

slim wrote: but my mate just picked it up & he's chuffed to feck :-bd
Im not surprised :)) I would be :-bd



waitin for a pic of the other :-bd

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:09 pm
by jaz66
slim wrote:An uplighter to go under my mate slabby on its display plinth that I made a few weeks ago
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Well slim on first impressions it looks good.. B-)

But then i had a second look...















and i liked it even more... :ymparty:

Nice work, can quite see that in the situation you describe..well smart. :-bd

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 10:40 pm
by slim
Thanks for the positive comments folks :-bd

I am quite looking forward to seeing them lit up & sat under the bike as I cant quite visualise how it will look at the moment, I will try & remember to get a pic of them in place when its all sorted

Thinking about it I'm surprised some of you like it as I still think its a bit tat but from the comments here & elsewhere I might have to look at this electickery malarkey in more detail & knock up a few similar ones to sell :)

I have enough pistons to make quite a few & spanners etc are easy enough to come by but that took the best part of a day + welding wire, gas, electric & propane to make & I don't know what the sparky bits cost so the question is what is something like that really worth ?

Re: Distractions

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 1:23 am
by badanimal
Their going to look smart :-bd


yeah dont forget a pic of them lighting the bike up


Dunno what their worth.. now you done a prototype you could probably knock a few up in a day..

£150 on ebay usa and China :-bd (Fk sake, if they can sell british air to the chineese at 80 quid a jar, you can sell them for more)

As regards lectrics.. theres a load of selling laws electrical safety blah blah, so if they were mains youd have to have them tested. PAT test would probably do, but unecessary expence.

If you bought something from B&Q that was LED with a plug transformer all marked up, then you bypass all that :-bd
Like them dumb plastic LED rocks they have.

Just stick them in with araldite metal fix stuff from the same B&Q :-bd

Re: Distractions

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 3:52 am
by slim
A very quick ebay session says 10 g4 bulbs are under 5 quid, bulb holders under 3 & the plug a fiver to a tenner depending on watts, even cheaper from chinky chonk land :-o

Yeah I could probably make two lights in a day but I cant see being able to do more than that as the limiting factor is how long it takes to heat up the spanners enough for them to bend nicely then waiting time for them to cool enough to handle again

I could easily make 3 stool bottoms or a table base in the same time so I'm wondering if its worth the effort :-s

I started off doing this stuff again purely for fun but its ended up as what has kept my head above water these last couple of months & I already have 5 items that I invested time & a fair bit of money in that are sitting unsold :(

On a happier note I figured out a method of dying burnt timber nice & cheaply & can do most colours so a couple of the stools that still haven't sold might have the tops refinished to see if that helps get them gone ;)

Re: Distractions

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 2:15 pm
by slim
Here is the other one, both pistons adjust ;)

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Pain in the arse to make so I have decided only to make more if someone wants to pay 30 to 40 quid for one without wiring :-s

Re: Distractions

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:55 pm
by slim
Here is the first test of dyed shou sugi ban I should be able to do loads of different colours now I have sussed it, what do you lot think of it ?

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In other news I picked up loads of cranks etc today so could be making quite a few things but as I have a few things unsold & getting in the way I don't think I will bother unless its to order :|

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 9:18 am
by slim
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Folk seeing this ashtray last night netted me two commissions for random stuff :D

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 9:27 am
by badanimal
You should do and FB page or web site on this lot

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 4:43 pm
by slim
badanimal wrote:You should do and FB page or web site on this lot
Cant be doing with FB mate but I am thinking about a website Fb type folk can link to, I was chatting to a mate about it last night as it goes :-bd

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 5:54 pm
by badanimal
Dont get roped into costly deals from net experts.. and any of this we'll get you top of Google bolox.. Thats easy - Pay Google.




You can do your own quite easily.. Some are not a lot different from creating posts on a forum..


and there are plenty of free ones..


Wordpress etc

or even just good old Google.. If you have a Gmail account you have a pile of webspace to use for free, and make a pile of sites.

Thers loads of vids on youtube



Theres even a Google web site builder tool of you want to go mad with it..
https://www.google.com/webdesigner/index.html



I remember the days of a penny a min dial up - back then every account gave yo web space to make a web using frontpage express. I had loads of rubbish ones :)) but it was fun..

But now you can just do it with google.

Good thing is that you can add google pay to your stuff and flog it online without any hassle. all built in :-bd


I have a site on HH amps from the 70's somewhere, cant find it now x_x

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:07 pm
by slim
Thanks for the tips BA, I have never looked at building a website before but don't suppose its much different from setting up a free forum which I have done a couple of times (easy) will definitely look at what google has to offer

Booked in for my carpal tunnel op in a few weeks so wont be able to do too much after that for a while, I thought that was the perfect time to dick about on the net seeing if I can build a website :)

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:16 am
by badanimal
slim wrote:Thanks for the tips BA, I have never looked at building a website before but don't suppose its much different from setting up a free forum which I have done a couple of times (easy) will definitely look at what google has to offer
Easier than that nowadays.. it's all done with their online web builder.. Just add pics and text boxes and it's done.

Great thing about the Google one is that it can use stuff off your Gdrive..

I did read that you can actually use the Gdrive space to hold a website made by hand with frontpage or any old style html tools, if you wanted to.

But the web way is easy enough.



The address for these free sites is pretty naff.. but you can go somewhere like godaddy and fork out a few quid for a .co.uk or whatever..
and then you get a box to put your freebie web address in and it just redirects.. posh names domain forwarding

So it looks like the domain is connected to you..


last .co.uk i got was 3 quid, and just redirected it to my website.



Dont have to be anything fancy - just a page of pics that you can tell people to go look at.


All this Google ranking will give you a headache.. and cost..

Re: Distractions

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 5:32 pm
by slim
Once again thanks for all the info BA & thanks for the electrical advice too :-bd

The lamp is mostly done, just got to add some rings for the wiring to run through, clean it down & lacquer it, the thing really is a monster at over 6' tall & I reckon once he's added the bulb holder & bulb (E27) its going to be pushing 6'6" :-o

Just sent the folk who asked for it some pics, cant get a pic of the whole thing really so had to photo separate sections, lets hope they like it so far :-s

Re: Distractions

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:39 pm
by slim
The monster, I haven't done anything that big in a very long while, just waiting for the lacquer to arrive then its done & gone :)

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While I was waiting for various bits to cool I got bored so knocked this up, if you remember I said I didn't particularly like the lights I made before as they were not my idea, this was & I like it a lot, it adjusts nice & smoothly, cant wait to get it wired up :)

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Re: Distractions

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:44 pm
by badanimal
Wow.. behemoth :-o



I like them both :-bd

Thats a great little desklamp :-bd

Re: Distractions

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:50 pm
by slim
Cheers BA :-bd

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:57 am
by slim
I stuck a G4 led in the little lamp & fired it up off a 9v battery for a few seconds, its surprisingly bright :) just waiting on wire, a switch & plug thing to arrive then will get it sold

As I like the lamp I made a bigger version that's a bit different & holds 2 of the same G4 led's not tried that yet but expect it to be pretty good, a few have seen it & like that one too, could have sold both as is yesterday but want to see them properly finished first

Below are the last two side tables I made to very specific sizes & finish for a lady that picked them up yesterday, difficult to photograph but I'm sure you get the idea, she & her old man were really chuffed & now she is thinking about a coffee table to match :)

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In other news the people that ordered the monster lamp are pissing me around, they love it & its exactly what they asked for but they have made no attempt to pick it up or more importantly pay for the sodding thing and its in my way X(
Trying to hold my tongue on that one as its a mates daughter but I feel an explosion coming on soon & it wont be pretty ! its not like they are short of a few quid !
I could have sold it more than once & might just do that anyway then tell them to feck off when they ask about it, one thing is certain I wont be making them anything else whatever happens & I wont be doing anymore work on their big posh house either ;)

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 11:52 am
by mike-rf600r
Wouldn’t cut that tie with the client that not paid. Wait it out. Thy are the kind of people you could get more work off from people who visit them and see your work the. Say oh I want something like that. You will just have to say things in a polite but firm way

Item now finished as you know, would like to know when you will be collecting and paying. Sooner rather than later. And if not picked up within a week I have other interest in it so will have to sell it on.

Kind regards slim

Words to that effect perhaps . :))

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 12:48 pm
by slim
:)) Mike you've gone all sensible on me :-o :))

Its good advice mate but I'm stuggling to keep my temper to be honest, its the attitude I find annoying, IE feck him, he can wait, typical of a lot of folk that were born in the gutter then made a shed load of money by possibly nefarious means, I should have known better than to do anything for them again

I have told them its done, that I need paying for it & even that don't mind delivering it to them ............ response zero !

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 1:02 pm
by mike-rf600r
I have to put the business cap on sometimes mate. Gotta look at the potential Bigger picture atm your pushed up against te current picture and can’t even see that as your too close so to speak.

That’s how posh people are or should I say can be as not always that way. You’ll get your money if not if they local enough turn up with it and say it’s here if you want it. Put them on the spot. Then say if not I have another buyer so we’ll call it quits but please don’t waste my time again. Time is money after all taking up space wanting to move onto other projects etc etc.

Basically you need to sort that chip out on your shoulder mate. If they don’t want it now move on be civil but firm don’t cock up chances of future business due to your chip. As you said you have interest in it so it’s no bother if they don’t have it really.

Only putting it that way as I have a similar chip and done myself out of easy money in the past because of it.

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 1:35 pm
by slim
You are right of course Mike :-bd

I do have a chip on my shoulder at times mate, with this I struggled to do what they wanted as quickly as they asked so have a whole bucket full of the little buggers sat there nagging away at me :ymsigh:

I really dont mind if I make something for the hell of it & it sits around for months but when i'm asked to do something specific for someone at an agreed price to a timescale & they cant be arsed to pay up it really rubs me up the wrong way, thankfully it does not happen often

Message sent asking if they want the fecker or not but in a polite way as advised :)
Lets see what happens today but if there is no response again I will be on to the other folk that showed an interest tomorrow, then if it sells tough, these folk can have another made at full price & pay in advance or its not happening

Re: Distractions

Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 2:02 pm
by mike-rf600r
Excellent, yup that’s firm but fair. :-bd

Just a suggestion. Maybe for any future commissions maybe worth asking for a 25-50% deposit that can go towards making costs but also they are more inclined to see the deal through if are already out of pocket so to speak. Roots out time wasters then too.

Re: Distractions

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:51 am
by marmike
Great advice Mike ^:)^ ^:)^ ^:)^

Good luck Slim you got the inside track from Mike there, and i think you are onto something with what you are doing :-bd Soon (very soon) internal combustion motors will be yesterday's betamax. There will be a market for 'Nostalgia-Nox' That piston/light is the way to go- start with small trinkets to get people talking - could go a long way IMHO

Re: Distractions

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 8:35 am
by slim
Thanks for putting me straight gents :-bd

I think where I have been going wrong is by thinking of this as something to keep me occupied rather than as a small business /:)

I'm certainly not looking to make it a full time occupation or looking to make a fortune out of it, been there, done that in the building trade & really don't need the stress anymore but yes you lads are right so business cap is now firmly on when it comes to people asking for specific stuff :-bd

So the damn lamp ...... i got a message back, yes they like it & yes they want it so i replied pick it up by saturday or its sold elsewhere, I did it in polite way but left no doubt that they would lose it if they didnt pick it up

Another guy asked about a table, seeing what i make for himself & if delivery was possible (its not far) i replied that he was welcome to come & see what i do, discuss what he wants and that delivery would be a tenner for fuel..... no reply :-\